Kendo Princess, Perverted Knight
by SpiderLobb
Summary: A story I started on TheFanfictionForum but have sadly neglected and my muse won't finish it with me. So I'm posting the chapter for people to enjoy and maybe pick it up if they like it a lot. Kei x Motoko


"Lady Aoyama, can I hold the baby?"

"Keitaro! I don't think -"

"Yes, you may. Would you like me to show you how?"

"Yes!"

"Here... Like this."

"She's so pretty... What's her name?"

"Motoko."

"Motoko... She's so pretty! She's a princess, right?"

"Of course."

"Good. Motoko... I'm gonna marry her someday!"

"KEITARO!"

"He he~! Make her a beautiful and happy queen, Keitaro."

"I will. I promise!"

-l-l-/-l-/-

Keitaro Urashima had spent most of his life chasing a dream. Whether it was one or another, it was something that defined his character straight to the core. From his desperate attempts to make a happy ending with the girl of his dreams to his desire to never hurt someone. It was arguably his best and most outstanding trait.

So, it should come as little surprise that Keitaro clung like a madman to the beliefs instilled in him despite how over time his memory of such things became foggy. However, things had changed in this world, even if only slightly. Where once he remembered the face of a young brunette girl whom he would never truly know the real identity of, here things had happened differently.

This was why that young man, Keitaro, was now gazing up at the Hinata House, smiling in remembrance even as he stepped inside. Not because of the memories he had made in another world, but the ones he had made here. With consequences and benefits all of their own, this was yet another chapter in the story of Keitaro.

-l-/-/-/-l—l-l-l-/-l

"Hello!" Keitaro called out, settling his bags aside and removing his shoes as he entered the living room of the large place. "Granny Hina? Motoko?" He looked at the world through his glasses, confused why the place wasn't far busier. It can't be that it had gone out of business, can it? He thought to himself, trying to come to terms with the possibility that maybe he'd gotten the wrong address. Just as he was considering leaving, a noise caught his attention. He turned, not expecting what he found.

"Oh, hello. It's nice to meet you, um..." Keitaro looked quietly at the young looking blue haired girl, somewhat surprised that the girl was working here, from the sight of her carrying a basket of laundry that she sat down after fumbling it, just barely keeping it in her hands. The girl's eyes seemed a bit wide, like a doe heading straight into an oncoming semi-truck, it almost felt to Keitaro like he'd scared the daylights out of her just saying hello.

"U-m-hello. I'm Shinobu," She paused, looking from side to side and Keitaro -really- felt like he'd scared her at this point, deciding the sooner he spoke up why he was here the sooner she'd calm down, so he decided to interrupt her before she got too spooked to carry on a conversation.

"Shinobu, would you happen to know where Hina Urashima or Motoko Aoyama would be at this time? I've been looking for them for the past few minutes but you're the first person I've run into." Keitaro explained, and seeing the girl visibly relax eased the burden on his shoulders. I definitely don't want her to scream or start crying. That'd look -really- bad! He thought with a grimace before listening to the girl's reply.

"Oh! Grandma Hina left yesterday on a trip around the world-" Keitaro's shoulders slumped, wondering why she'd sent that letter to him saying to come here in such a rush if she was leaving! "And Motoko is... I think she's running an errand in town, she should be back soon." Keitaro perked up; happy at least that he'd get to see Motoko after so long. I bet she's even cuter than before! Keitaro felt himself smiling, and he was glad it didn't seem to bother Shinobu.

"Do you mind if I stay here for a little while and wait for her? I've been waiting a long time to see her, even if Granny isn't here." Keitaro said, which brought Shinobu's eyes back to him away from where she had been looking aside, face softly pink. _Huh, I must've given her a fright after all, she looks a bit flushed._ The brunette male thought to himself, when a noise from behind caught his attention and despite Shinobu's gasp of warning, he turned around.

-l-/-l-/-l-l-/

_It's not my day._ Keitaro thought to himself, firm in the belief that things had completely gone down the drain when he'd turned away from talking to Shinobu and discovered a brunette in a towel that really had no business calling itself more than a wash cloth. That had led to a nosebleed, which had led to Shinobu screaming from the blood on his face, which had led to the brunette girl getting angry. And apparently, angry women could punch holes in rocks. _Or at least wooden pillars._ He thought to himself, having been metaphorically dragged halfway around the inn in the chase and had made an utter fool of himself in front of the rest of the girls residing there until Naru, the brunette in question, had finally cornered him back in the living room thanks to his poorly timed dodging of a few missiles from what looked to be a miniature tank.

**A TANK!**

As the brunette girl advanced on him, having at some point gotten dressed, he heard rather than saw the door behind him open. "Motoko! You're just in time! This pervert was scaring Shinobu and peeping on me!" Keitaro didn't even register the remainder of the girl's sentence, hearing only the first part and turning. And then he stopped, utterly even while Shinobu spoke gently, "He didn't scare me..."

Keitaro had forgotten something very important, you see. People don't remain children forever, especially girls nearing the age of majority. And while Motoko still had time, she'd nonetheless started the road to womanhood. And Keitaro hadn't known that, thus he was quite surprised with what he saw when he finally laid eyes on the girl.

Gob smacked when the only girl who walked in and had been addressed as Motoko wasn't a cute little girl with an overly elegant hairstyle, but instead a young woman taller than he was and very pretty to boot. At her waist was a sheathed blade that her hand instinctively seemed to reach for, words leaving her mouth but he didn't even register them. His memories laid over her image, a young girl maybe a quarter her new height, with hair longer and more lustrous but still in that very traditional hime style cut in that ever dark shade of ebony black. He even recognized the training outfit, a hakama and gi top in the traditional colors of miko, priestesses.

"Wow, Motoko... You're beautiful!" He failed to recognize the shift in her expression, or the sudden explosion of tension from the other girls. All he saw was this girl whom he'd wanted to see for so long, in front of him, and she'd grown. No longer was she the little girl whom he tried hard to protect and encourage, but instead the vision of her sister being repeated but modified by her own individuality. Slowly her expression worked through cautious, to confused, slowly to dawning realization.

"Keitaro?" Motoko spoke finally, her hands carefully setting her sword aside as a smile bloomed on her face, and it seemed almost like the other girls had all simultaneously swallowed an entire loaf of bread and couldn't get it out. "Keitaro! It's so good to see you!" The dark haired girl walked toward the young man and stopped at arm's reach, and Keitaro hesitated to get closer for fear of ruining the moment. And that was when the awkwardness came about, Motoko was looking at him, he was looking at Motoko, and the remainder of the girls didn't know –who- to look at.

He started to speak up when another voice interrupted him. "Well, that's cute," Haruka Urashima said wryly, holding an envelope at her waist with a cigarette hanging limply from her mouth as she stood in the nearby door, "Sorry to interrupt, but I just got an interesting fax. And it has something to do with you, Keitaro, so why don't you go ahead and have a seat with the girls?"

"Okay, Aunt Haru-OWW!"

"That's just Haruka from you, Fabio."

-l-/-l-/-l-/-l

"So the gist of it is that Hina left the dorm to you, Keitaro, provided you stay and manage the place." Haruka explained, after explaining Hina's (vacation) departing wish. "So-"

"What?! Why would Granny do something like that, putting a guy in charge of a dormitory for -young women-?!" The brunette from earlier, whom he had come to learn was named Naru Narusegawa when Haruka had made them all introduce one another, spoke up. _She has a good point._ Keitaro thought to himself, not willing to risk turning her ire's flame directly unto himself instead of at the general concept of him being here yet. Haruka menaced Naru with her harisen, giving her a flat glare that sent the younger brunette's rear back upon her seat faster than even Keitaro had seen her stand up. _I have got to get Haruka to teach me how to do that!_

"SO! While the girl's opinion is important, and yours is too, but that's just what Granny wanted. So, since Naru jumped the gun and declared her thoughts, let's see what everyone thinks. You don't mind if the girls go first, do you, Keitaro?" After Keitaro shook his head no, she looked at those gathered, waiting for someone to speak up. Naru was almost the first up again, but Shinobu steeled herself and spoke first.

"I don't mind if Keitaro stays..! I mean, it'll be nice to have someone tohelpkeeptheplacerunningwelland-" And then it devolved when everyone's attention turned to her, and she steadily lost steam, settling back down after saying her piece far too fast for most to keep track of it. _She's a bit of a wallflower, isn't she?_ Keitaro thought to himself, resolving that if he stayed he'd try his best to be Shinobu's friend. The blue haired girl seemed to have a real issue with attention, and yet he couldn't understand why. The girl was cute, and spoke well when she didn't stutter or race through speech. Next was Suu, a dark skinned blonde girl whom had made those **TANKS!**

"He's fun! Let's keep him!" Apparently a girl of few words, but boundless energy, Keitaro worried for his safety at the miles-wide grin the girl bore as she spoke. Keitaro had to puzzle somewhat at her, still. Naru finally spoke up next.

"He's a he, so obviously he shouldn't be here!" Keitaro could at least understand her reasoning, even if the way she'd said it just now was a little bit inelegant. Motoko stood before Kitsune, a blonde curvacious woman whom he'd guessed wasn't from around here due to her different dialect, could speak.

"As long as Keitaro will abide by the wishes of the tenants, I don't mind if he takes over as manager of the dormitory." At Naru and Kitsune's questioning look, Motoko backpedaled (almost literally), "But he'll have to be mindful of the fact he's not allowed to take his lustful urges out on anyone!" Everyone missed the telltale blush and the movement of her lips beyond that as she sat down in a huff. _It's a good thing they don't look to be examining that..._ Keitaro thought to himself, not wanting to call attention to how inappropriate what Motoko had just said sounded. Kitsune spoke next, even as her eyes drifted from Motoko's somewhat shirking form to Keitaro and Haruka.

"Well, he is Granny's favorite, and it'll be nice to not have to bother Haruka to fix things. I think we can let him stay, right, Naru?" She asked of her brunette friend, who sighed, feeling herself outmatched in this particular debate. [i]She doesn't like me at all.[/i] Keitaro feared. Haruka nodded, speaking up at last.

"Then why don't we give Keitaro a big Hina welcome? On three-"

"WELCOME KEITARO~!" Keitaro smiled, watching Haruka get annoyed with the residents' over eagerness and the group's general frivolity. While he doubted he'd be a part of that for a little while, he felt like it would be nice to one day be able to join in such a celebration. _A new place, new faces... even on someone I expected to be the same._ His eyes rested on Motoko's barely smiling lips, but he'd known her long enough that she thought of this place very fondly. Even if he hadn't seen her in so long, her habits seemed to have remained the same. _Always playing the tough girl, Motoko._ He thought to himself wryly, becoming awash in memories.

-l-/-l-l-/-l-l-/-l

_"Keitaro!" The ten-year-old boy turned, seeing a younger girl run up after him with her training outfit dirty from what she and Tsuruko had deemed as "play." Keitaro was just smart enough to know that it wasn't playing but some kind of training, but not enough to know -what- they were training for. "Wait for me. Sister said you were leaving tomorrow!" The boy smiled as the dark-haired girl paced to a stop in front of him._

_"Yeah. I gotta go back to Mom and Dad. But I'll be back before you know it, and we'll be able to play again, us and Tsuruko, okay?" He said to her, leaning down to give her a hug, which the ebon-haired girl returned, lips painted in a thin line._

_"Promise me." And he did, without skipping even the merest of beats._

_But that was the last time he saw Motoko to this day, even though he kept in touch with her and Tsuruko through letters every so often, something had changed between the Urashima and the Aoyama. He never got to come spend time with the Aoyamas again, and even Tsuruko, with all of her mischief and zest for life, seemed to frown when he read her letters for a year or two after their last time seeing each other. And he'd never learned just what had set once friends at odds with another, for a time he had thought perhaps it had been his fault. And then those thoughts had simply faded with time, unlike his dedication to fulfilling that promise, one of many he'd made to Motoko even though he was only a ten year old boy._

_And that was what had made him what he was today, a few simple promises._

-l-/-l-/-l-/

There were many reasons Keitaro wasn't allowed to return to the Aoyama compound after he made that important promise. Amongst them could be said the hand of the Gods, fate, or even karma. However, the reason on this Earth was much different.

"Tsuruko, what are you even saying?" Masahide, husband of Chiharu Aoyama and father of the Aoyama sisters, asked of his eldest daughter, who sat before him in proper seiza. This room was a private place for him and his own blood family, but mostly he shared it with no one nowadays as time marched on and mortality became all too real. Masahide was a man of stature, having given up an ascetic life that had turned his body into a tool to preserve men's bodies and souls. Marriage had barely been a thought when he met Chiharu, never expecting to be one half of the vaunted heads of Shinmeiryu. And yet here he was, in his forty-fifth summer of life, one head of the acclaimed demon slaying sword school.

Tsuruko's face was the perfection of a mask, not even a twitch betrayed her intent nor did her words as she spoke, "I do not love him, and thus I do not wish to marry him." It was an explanation, not an option for debate. Tsuruko talked like she wielded the blade, Masahide thought to himself, without mercy and deadlier than a pit of snakes, scorpions, and spiders. Her mother and little sister in comparison were gentle flowers, and it scared Masahide how proud of his firstborn he was. Only just a teen and already she could devastate an opponent no matter the arena. Pride goeth before the fall, the man thought privately to himself. And he was so right it hurt his very spirit.

"Then, my daughter, who do you love?" He asked, hoping to meet his daughter's expectations of love and meet the needs of his lineage, sickness would take him within the next two years, even if he did not yet know it. Merely had the inkling of someone who understood all too well a spiritual lifestyle, that his soul was readying to leave to its destination. He would have lived a full life according to his friends, but he felt incomplete, a vessel without something inside of it of value.

"Keitaro."

With one word, Tsuruko had changed the world; she'd broken a life line between the Urashima-ryu and the Shinmeiryu school. That was why the two families never met again, because in his age Masahide had never understood love, only been swept up in it with a woman he still was growing to know when his life faded from his brown eyes, and while he'd one day apologized for his reaction, Masahide had gone to his God without a regret.

Tsuruko had decided, in the way teenagers do, that if she could not have him for herself, then the only one she would allow to have him was her younger sister, whom Keitaro doted on and spent as much time with as he did with the older girl. It had only made sense at the time, and thus she had never questioned that rationale even until she sat quietly in contemplation many years later, watching her sister leave for Tokyo when their mother had finally succumbed to her own broken heart and shared the fate of her love, like lovebirds are wont to do. With Tsuruko being unwed and the older and more accomplished sibling, control of the dojo had gone to her, whereas Motoko was free to live as she chose.

"One day, I'll take the dojo back from you, and you'll be able to find happiness again." Motoko had promised, but Tsuruko could only shake her head, feeling utterly that unadulterated irony was gripping at her heart. _It is you whom I wish to find happiness for._ She thought, even as she pictured the young face of her love, which she'd decided to set free as best she could. And instead, Tsuruko smiled despite the pain in her heart, waving good bye to her sister as she left, both broken hearted from their loss.

-/-l-/-l-/-l-/

"Hey! Keitaro! Can you clean the hot springs, please?" Naru tapped the divider going into the manager's office, she'd been working Keitaro hard, even if the dorm looked spotless and well maintained she always had something for him to do. While tired, the landlord couldn't help but enjoy the menial tasks. Working hard was something Keitaro had never had a problem doing, but he definitely had a limit, and the brunette was reaching it quickly!

"Huh? Sure, Naru. I'll head down there in a minute." Keitaro replied, looking up from his text booklet and a tray of rice balls that Shinobu had made him as a snack. _Good one, too. They have that raspberry jam in the middle!_ He crooned mentally, feelings tears well in his eyes at the flavor. Naru raised a brow at his pleased expression, before stomping off with a few final words.

"Fine, but hurry it up." Going up the stairs, Naru ran into Motoko, who seemed fresh from practice atop the dorm's roof. _It's about time I got some answers,_ Naru thought to herself, "Motoko, can I talk to you in my room?"

"Of course, Naru." The kendo student said, following along after the elder girl.

-l-/-l-l-/-l

"What do you really know about that guy Keitaro?" Naru didn't really wait long to start her pseudo-interrogation, having gotten into her room and sat down while Motoko did the same before launching that question off. Even though Naru looked at ease, she had questions running through her head that needed answers, and Naru was passionate about almost everything, it was just her nature.

Motoko's face remained impassive, though the amount of time Naru had known the girl showed her bewilderment, a slight upturn of the eyebrow, the thin line that was her lips now quirked towards the center under her nose, trying to decide between proverbial fight or flight from the sudden inquiry.

"I've known him almost as long as I've been alive," Motoko admitted, and even though it was an answer to her question, Naru understood innately that what she'd -wanted- answered had been cast aside out of turn; it was clever of the ebony haired girl. Naru actually had to rein in her temper to not be offended; it wasn't like the kendo student to answer her so vaguely!

"From when? I mean, you seem really close, and the way you treat other men, it's really weird to see you act this way." Naru said, trying to spin it as if she was concerned, which she was! Keitaro was a new piece of their life, and Naru didn't know what to make of him yet beyond what presence he'd made so far, which had been one of a slippery-footed and perverted idiot whose major benefit was that he worked hard. She admired that at least about him, not to be mean, but there were lots of risks associated with men!

Motoko's jaw tightened, and it looked like she wouldn't answer at all save for storming out before she softened visibly, relenting. And she told Naru their mingled story. Motoko's voice was even, but Naru's experience with the girl showed the emotion underneath. Motoko liked to portray the cool and collected mature girl, but she still held too much rashness and excitement in her to be what she desired.

"Keitaro and his family were in Kyoto on business with my family when my mother fell into labor, and gave birth to me. I only heard this from my sister, but apparently Keitaro promised to marry me and since then he would spend time at the compound with me and my sister." Motoko's mood darkened and it only occurred to Naru because the air around them suddenly felt colder, like Motoko's emotions were draining the air of warmth. "Then, one year, my father forbade him from returning, and both his parents and mine stopped speaking to one another." But here she paused; the samurai girl looked like she'd said too much. Naru's face had shaped slowly throughout the story, from surprise at the promise of marriage, then smiling bemusement at the thought of young love. Motoko's own darkening mood had triggered a similar expression on her face, mirrored out of empathy more than out of her own feelings.

"Why?" Naru finally asked, unsure of if she would like or even receive an answer. Motoko looked off to the side, as if seeing a specter in the past (or so Naru's overly romantic mind liked to think.)

"I do not know, but my sister looked to be in utter agony for quite a while." Naru wasn't sure -what- to make of that, it implied things that shot a shiver down her spine, but she didn't want to believe Keitaro himself had done something, because Motoko seemed to still like him a lot, and he didn't seem the kind to -hurt- someone. "For a while Father wouldn't even let us exchange letters, but then he fell ill and we took the chance to pass them along through our mother, whom would give us his in turn."

"And you haven't seen him since when until the day he came?" Naru asked, wondering quite deeply about the answer to that question. _To have been so young, it can't have been before she was a teen, Keitaro -still- seems surprised when he looks at Motoko._ Naru reasoned, even if the logic could be called flawed, the girl thought herself very smart.

"It will have been nine years soon." Motoko's cool answer raised Naru's hackles, _Nine years! She was a kid!_ This revelation brought an air of both confusion and horror to her face. _How does she even remember, let alone why does she like him so much?_ The brunette puzzled, unable to help as she entered her thinking position, grabbing a nearby pencil and beginning to chew on the eraser as she thought about it, when Motoko raised a brow at her, and Naru realized now wasn't the time to give in to her habits.

"Thank you for talking to me, Motoko. I'm sorry if I seem nosy, I just don't want anything bad to happen." Naru smiled at the ebon haired girl, who nodded before responding herself. "It's alright, Naru. If it were anyone but Keitaro, I would be similarly paranoid. But I trust Keitaro, and he's never betrayed me with that trust." Motoko stressed, eyes closing and looking the picture of serenity as she left Naru alone to think.

And think the brunette would, contemplating for quite some time why Motoko would still be so attached to this man after nine years, let alone what could have happened to separate people who were obviously at some point very good friends.

-l-/-l-/-ll-/-

"Keitaro." The aforementioned male looked up from his work scrubbing the spring's bathing area, seeing Motoko approach with her practice sword draped across her shoulder, reminding him of a yakuza thug in a television show. _Heh, better not say anything about it, or she'll cream me!_ He had a private laugh, hoping the smile he wore looked friendly instead of amused.

"Yes, Motoko? Can I help you?" Keitaro asked, looking quietly to the younger Aoyama sister. Motoko visibly twitched, a soft pink decorating her cheeks at his smile. _It's been so long,_ Motoko mused, _Since I've seen that smile directed at me, and to hear his voice. He's grown as I have; I wonder what he thinks of me now._ "Would you like to join me on the rooftop? It's been quite some time since we practiced together." The ebon-haired girl offered.

"Huh?" Keitaro paused, noting Motoko's sudden coloring, though dismissing it simply as the warmth from the springs nearby. "Uh, sure, but I don't have a sword." He reached up, rubbing at the back of his head, feeling shamed at not being able to participate, until Motoko held out the wooden sword. Keitaro's eyes widened, while he didn't understand much of samurai or even kendo culture, he understood that a gift like this wasn't given every day.

"This one is for you, I'll go get mine and meet you on the roof, okay?" At Keitaro's assent, the two went to meet, never noticing the eyes in the shadows of the changing room, narrowed into slits. And somewhere on the grounds, ghosts of ancestors smiled in bemusement, feeling the changing winds as an omen of good tidings.

_


End file.
